The second annual NDSU Distinguished Alumni Award Program is scheduled for April. Sponsored by each of the colleges at NDSU, the program is an opportunity to educate students by introducing them to successful alumni and a chance to recognize and honor outstanding alumni.
Distinguished alumni will share career-related experiences and knowledge while visiting NDSU. Each alumnus will have an opportunity to meet and give presentations to students, faculty, alumni and the NDSU community. The classroom presentations and seminars listed are free and open to the public.
College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources
Scott Handy, president and chief executive officer
of Cass County Electric Cooperative Inc.,
earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural
mechanization from NDSU in 1980. He worked
as an energy consultant for the NDSU Extension
Service prior to beginning his career with Cass
County Electric Cooperative in 1982. He held
several positions before being named president and chief
executive officer in 2002.
Handy has been active in the community serving as chairman of the board for the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corporation's Growth Initiative, advisory board member for the Quentin N. Burdick Center for Cooperatives at NDSU and past board chairman for the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead. He also has served on the Valley City State University Foundation Board and Cass County Community of Care Steering Committee.
Handy has received many honors including Cass County Electric's Willard Grager Achievement Award and Essence of Innovation Award, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives Community Service Award and International Association of Administrative Professionals Boss of the Year.
Handy is scheduled to present "We Proceeded On: Electrifying the Land Explored by Lewis and Clark" on Thursday, April 3, at 3:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Prairie Rose room. For more information, contact Patti Sebesta at patti.sebesta@ndsu.edu or 1-8524
College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences
Gary Boehler is executive vice president of
pharmacy operations and health care services for
Thrifty Drug Stores Inc. He was a pharmacist for
13 years before entering the corporate offices at
White Drug/Thrifty White Drug as the district
manager for North Dakota, Montana, South
Dakota and western Minnesota. From there, he
was promoted to director of pharmacy operations and then
vice president of pharmacy operations.
Boehler grew up in Hazen, N.D. In 1970, he earned a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from NDSU. Boehler serves on the board of directors for Thrifty Drug Stores Inc.; the board of directors of North Dakota Retailers and Petroleum Marketers Association; NDSU College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences National Pharmacy Advisory Board; Minnesota Pharmacists Association of Community Pharmacists business committee member; past board member of Minnesota Retailers Association; and past board member of Minnesota Pharmacists Association.
Boehler's presentation will be Tuesday, April 8. For more information, contact Sara Tanke at sara.tanke@ndsu.edu or 1-6461.
College of Business
Erik Skie, a principal of LarsonAllen in
Minneapolis, earned his bachelor's degree in
accounting from NDSU in 1992. Skie is responsible
for serving a variety of medium-sized, closely
held manufacturing and distribution businesses in
both a financial and operational capacity.
Skie has been active in manufacturing and distribution industries as a member, speaker and volunteer to local and national industry associations. He is a member of the American Production and Inventory Control Society, Minnesota Precision Manufacturer's Association and the Manufacturer's Alliance. He previously served on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant's Performance Measurement Task Force, focusing on the development of non-financial performance indicators for manufacturing and distribution companies. He has written and spoken on a variety of manufacturing topics from performance measurement to continuous improvement to groups such as the Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing International and the National Tooling and Machining Association.
While at NDSU, he was a member of Mortar Board Honor Society, Libra Honor Society, the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, the Accounting Club and was a tight end on Bison football teams in the late 80s and early 90s.
Skie's presentation will be on Thursday, April 10. For more information, contact Roxann Williams at 1-8235 or roxann.williams@ndsu.edu.
College of Science and Mathematics
Allan Bieber, professor emeritus from Arizona State
University and senior investigator with Intrinsic
Bioprobes Inc., earned a bachelor's and master's
degree from NDSU in 1956 and 1958 and a doctorate
from Oregon State University in 1962.
Bieber uses the toxins from rattlesnake venom to study the human body. By looking at how venom affects the body's normal functions, he gets a better understanding of how those functions occur.
Bieber's presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, at 3:45 p.m. in Dunbar 152. For more information, contact Keri Drinka at keri.drinka@ndsu.edu or 1-6131.
College of Human Development and Education
Helen L. Merkle, certified executive chef, earned
her bachelor's degree in food and nutrition from
NDSU in 1972. She is a certified executive chef
through the American Culinary Federation.
Merkle is the executive chef and culinary team leader of the Westfield Group, Cleveland, Ohio. She previously held positions as executive chef with Snavely Management Group and Boykin Management Co.
She was accepted as a member of the Honorable Order of the Golden Toque in July 2007, which is the highest acclaimed recognition a chef can receive in America. Merkle joined 99 other elite chefs who have earned this career achievement. She is the first female accepted into membership. The Golden Toque was originally founded in France and brought to this country by chef Pierre Berard in 1961.
Other honors include the August LoPresti Foodservice Fellowship Award, culinary judge, Chapter Chef of the Year and emeritus member of the NDSU College of Human Development and Education's Board of Visitors.
Merkle is scheduled to do a class presentation and demonstration on Thursday, April 17, at 11 a.m. in FLC 124. For more information, contact Nancy Gress at nancy.gress@ndsu.edu or 1-8216.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Steven H. Murdock, director of the U.S. Census
Bureau in Washington, D.C., earned his bachelor's
degree in sociology from NDSU in 1970. He
earned his master's and doctoral degrees in sociology
from the University of Kentucky, Lexington.
Murdock has received numerous honors and awards including being elected member of the Texas Philosophical Society, which is limited to 200 members. He was named one of the 25 most influential persons in Texas by Texas Monthly in 2005 and was the recipient of the Governor William P. Hobby Visionary Award.
Murdock's presentation will be Friday, April 25, at 11 a.m. in Askanase Auditorium. For more information, contact Drinka at keri.drinka@ndsu.edu or 1-6131.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Bradley J. Schmidt, senior vice president of
transmission and distribution services for Cass
County Electric Cooperative in Kindred, N.D.,
earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in
agricultural and biosystems engineering from
NDSU in 1979 and 1980.
A native of Linton, N.D., he has spent the past 28 years with Cass County Electric Cooperative holding positions as electric use specialist, staff engineer, manager of engineering and director of engineering and operations. He has been senior vice president for 11 years.
Schmidt maintains a strong relationship with NDSU by serving on the electrical and computer engineering department advisory board and as a lecturer for the past four years in the agricultural and biosystems engineering department teaching post-harvest technology.
He has received several awards including the North Dakota Power Use Council Achievement Award and Boss of the Year award from the Red River Chapter of Professional Secretaries in 1996. He is a member of the FM Engineers Club, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
Schmidt will return to campus to be recognized and receive his award on Wednesday, April 16. For more information, contact Nancy Rossland at nancy.rossland@ndsu.edu or 1-7994.